


my heart's skipping & i've applied the brakes (it's no use)

by trinitarias



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Minor Choi Yeonjun/Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:27:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28163922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trinitarias/pseuds/trinitarias
Summary: He hears the wordsI dare you to cosplay for an entire monthand thinks he’s in some kind of lucid dream.“What?”“You heard me, didn’t you?”Taehyun has a plan, Beomgyu has a crush and Soobin's just here for one cute boy in particular.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin
Comments: 25
Kudos: 93
Collections: TXT Secret Santa Fic Fest 2020





	my heart's skipping & i've applied the brakes (it's no use)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shallowheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shallowheart/gifts).



> dear recipient, i hope this winter is treating you well! thank u so much for such a cute prompt, i hope i've made it justice &; i hope you like it! ♡ ♡ ♡ & huge thanks to [mari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vespertyne) for beta reading! ♡

So Beomgyu walks in, right? He just walks into the library and ignores the curious stares aimed at him, rings the stupid little bell and waits.

Soobin gets back onto the desk not five minutes later and says brightly, “Hello! How can I help you today?” before he notices who he’s talking to. He looks cuter than ever today yet Beomgyu knows somehow he will look even cuter tomorrow. Life is not fair.

He’s not wearing his glasses though and he knows he didn’t put his contacts on (a text from this morning: _Beomgyu-yah, I forgot my contacts in your apartment. Today I will be blind but willingly. You can tease me about it later_ which, fair. He’s carrying them right in his bag to give them to him but first…), so he squints at him until the light of realization hits him. “Beomgyu? Are you supposed to be Black Clover’s _Yuno_?”

His get up isn’t all that subtle – light brown cloak lined with blue fur on its hood over a long sleeved, high collared black shirt, brown pants cut just below his knees, a pair of dark brown belts on his waist that cross each other and hold on his right side a book, light brown boots and a necklace; a little blue stone with a gold cross painted on it and sparkles on its four dividing corners. And his hair is truly something special right now, sticking up everywhere with a big chunk of it right in his face, almost touching his nose.

Beomgyu feels his heart soar and forces himself to not scream in absolute delight. “I _knew_ you’d recognize this right away. Come on, let’s take a selca. I have to send it to Taehyun.”

“What.” Soobin says, expressing the entirety of human emotion in a single word.

“Look. Let’s just do it. I’ll explain in a bit.”

Beomgyu doesn’t bother to wait for Soobin to stand by his side, takes his phone out and taps on the camera function, is momentarily glad his Snow App days are over and done with, throws out a V sign at the same time as Soobin does. Takes the picture and sends it.

Soobin props his chin on his hands, a thoughtful look on his face. Beomgyu turns around and says, “Taehyun and Kai, right?”

Soobin nods in understanding. “Light of Yeonjun hyung’s life and apple of Yeonjun hyung’s eyes. Yes, I have heard of them. I think they’re my best friends too,” he says with a wide eyed look and Beomgyu pouts. Soobin sticks his tongue out at him. “What about them?”

Taehyun’s eyes glitter in the particular way that screams _I’m making trouble but only I know that_ which always makes Beomgyu a little nervous to be around him. He can be really scary sometimes. He should know better than to be so easily swayed by his friends, but when they call for him to walk with them to the closest park because they want to see the stars, infectious grins and laughter stumbling from their mouths like a happy accident, who is he to say no to them?

So he’s had a bit more than usual. So his cheeks hurt from smiling so much. The usual, the usual until Kai bursts out laughing from something he didn’t hear and Taehyun looks particularly smug. The noise from the house party still bumbles in his ears, cotton-like and unwavering, and every street light is on. Belatedly, he hopes the park is dark for their sake. It’d suck for the walk to be for nothing.

“There’s no way that’s going to work, Hyun.”

“Oh, really? Hey, Beomgyu hyung, come here.”

He hears the words _I dare you to cosplay for an entire month_ and thinks he’s in some kind of lucid dream.

“What?”

“You heard me, didn’t you?”

And Taehyun goes on a tangent about the one-month challenge along with the rewards while Tipsy Beomgyu looks at him, wondering how he can be so wordy with more than his usual take of five soju bottles and being so intertwined with Kai he can’t tell whose limbs are whose (how are they walking like that? He’d ask himself if he didn’t see them do it literally all the time.) Finally after almost five full minutes of ranting, he says the winning words and they sound like –

“So when I win, he’s going to buy me dinner for two months and I’m going to ask for caviar every time.” He says with a devious little smile, hunching and rubbing his hands like some kind of cartoon villain.

“You don’t like seafood though?” Soobin points out, lightly touching Beomgyu’s necklace. He’s going to blow up.

“Soobin hyung. My love,” the moment it’s out of his mouth he feels like slapping himself. How can he be so stupid? But Soobin only blinks and waits for him to finish whatever rant he’s preparing. Beomgyu doesn’t know if that’s better or worse. “You’re missing the point. Kang Taehyun’s wallet will suffer and I will be glad to make it bleed until it is dead.”

“You’re terrifying sometimes,” Soobin tells him, dropping the necklace and giving him a once-over. His cheeks flush a pretty, light pink and Beomgyu thinks the weather must be getting to him. “And you look really cute. I mean. The cosplay is really – nice.”

“Thank you!” he grins, oblivious.

In his classroom, Kang Taehyun shudders. His _my friends are being dumb_ senses tingle so hard he slaps himself to get the stupidity out of him. From a seat away, Zhong Chenle stares at him like he’s a fucking weirdo.

**babe baby & babiest**

**[TODAY, 6.50 PM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Soobin and him, posing with a V sign in front of the library’s front desk]

1/8 kang taehyun ssi

i hope your wallet is ready

**ningning**

you guys look so CUTE!!!!!!

**taehyun**

😊♥

**choi beomgyu**

thank you kang taehyun ssi your eloquent commentary makes me the happiest person in the universe truly

**taehyun**

😀

**choi beomgyu**

i am going to hide

“I actually have your best interest in mind,” Taehyun straight up lies.

He’s been working on his homework for the past 3 hours so when Taehyun sat in front of him, said _you’ll accompany me to wait for my boyfriends. We have a date and this is our meeting spot._ _I’ll pay for anything you ask for_ , could he really say no to that? So here he is, papers strewn around the table and third pastry gone already.

“You are daring me to make eight outfits in a month while I am studying and dying. How is that having my best interest in mind?”

“Aren’t you going to win though?” He taunts, knowing Beomgyu will fall for it. He sips his bubble tea like someone who already knows every answer there is to know. “And then you’ll actually have decent food?”

Before Beomgyu can answer that with all the animosity he can muster at the moment which is actually not that much, the bell that hangs above the doorway rings to announce a new arrival and from the way Taehyun’s eyes light up it’s either Yeonjun or Kai. He doesn’t turn back to check, just slurps his milkshake as loudly as humanly possible while looking straight at a love-struck Taehyun, to whom he does not exist anymore, at least for the next few seconds.

It’s Kai, after all. He kisses Taehyun’s cheek and slides in the seat next to him seamlessly. Beomgyu makes the _bbuing bbuing_ gesture at him and Kai blows him a kiss in retaliation. Before the usual competition can start Taehyun asks, “Hyung’s ETA?”

“No idea. He did say he’d be here soon though. Did you order for me yet?”

“I wasn’t sure when you were coming and I didn’t want your drink to be too cold or too hot, so I haven’t.”

“Ah, Hyunnie you’re really the best,” he coos without a care in the world. Beomgyu keeps sipping. Kai’s arms are a python on Taehyun’s waist and he begins to talk to him in even cuter voices and Taehyun answers in the same manner. Traumatizing. He finishes his milkshake and pounds his fist on the table, accidentally hits his wrists and internally cries.

“Guys, not right now. Can’t you see that I’m suffering?” he stresses the last word as much as he can. All he gets are blank looks in return, like they’re saying, _so what?_ He hates his friends, he really does.

Yeonjun walks in a little later and Beomgyu jumps from his seat just as Kai and Taehyun realize their mistake. It’s a beautiful look, really.

They’ve been practicing for a week now and they have it on point if he does say so himself. After the usual _yo yj!_ and _yo bg!_ they begin their new, much more complicated handshake which lasts a minute and thirty seconds and includes a ballerina style twirl and a mock rap battle that Yeonjun wins.

Kai claps. Taehyun is unimpressed. Yeonjun bows and grins, running to them at light speed. He loves how happy they make each other. He hates knowing their group chat is called _Taehyun’s babies._

He makes a hasty exit before things become entirely too gross between the three of them, skipping away with a kiss blown in Kai’s way. As expected, he catches it and flutters his eyelashes exaggeratedly, making Beomgyu laugh on his way out. His apartment isn’t too far – only a block away from the shop and it’s there where he takes a final look at the outfit for the rest of the day, gives himself a mental high five for it and slips into it.

The walk around campus is no different this time. Maybe a little more breezy than usual, but he feels great, except for the wig. It’s a little itchy, but it’ll make do until someone recognizes him. The dress is form-fitting; blue so light it’s almost white. White frills adorn the sleeves, hem and V neckline. It swishes with every step.

In the cafeteria, someone tries to hit on him and he steps on the guy’s shoe as hard as he can. In the walk to his lesson name here he gets catcalled more times than he can count. Women are amazing if they deal with things like this every single day and calmly move on. He’s slowly losing his mind. By the time he walks into the library as a last resort he is very tired.

Soobin blinks at him the minute he sees him. Today he’s on the counter just as he’s coming in, glasses askew, hair a mess. Cuter than yesterday, confirmed. Tomorrow he will be cuter still, and it’ll suck. “Are you wearing a dress?”

Beomgyu tries to not lose it right then and there. “Yes. Thank you for noticing. It’s very breezy.”

“Only your ankles are visible though. How is it breezy?” Soobin asks after giving him a complete once over. Beomgyu’s ears feel hot.

Beomgyu scoffs, turns up his nose. “Have you ever tried wearing one? It’s nice! It’s comfortable! You don’t know anything about anything, Choi Soobin!”

“Gyu,” he says carefully. “Are you okay?”

He crosses his arms and says without an ounce of sincerity, “Yes.”

Soobin gives him a look. He’s crumbling like a dry cookie Soobin won’t eat. That makes him sadder. “Do you want to come to the break room with me for a bit?”

He nods, can’t say much. Soobin calls for one of his co-workers to man the front desk – he briefly recalls their name being something like Hyunjin and walks them towards the small break room. Soobin hands him an open water bottle and he takes it eagerly, nodding in thanks at being taken care of.

“Louisa, huh? I didn’t think you’d try her.”

“She’s the best incarnation of that disgusting old man,” Beomgyu quips back. “Of course I’d try her. She’s great.”

“That’s fair.” Soobin hums. Hands him a handkerchief he keeps in one of his pockets at all times because he’s some kind of Victorian gentleman, tucks a strand of Beomgyu’s hair behind his ear. “Do you want to take the picture? Or did someone already get you?”

He gulps. Realizes he looks the part of the heroine to Soobin’s gentleman. He hopes Soobin follows the script and kisses him right then and there. His heart is pounding loud enough for this to be The Moment. The writer should absolutely make it happen right here, right now and save him the anguish. Any moment now…“No. no one’s recognized me yet.”

“Okay. Let’s take it and then I'll walk you home.”

“You don’t have to –“

“I want to.”

Beomgyu looks at Soobin and can’t say no. Whoever is writing needs to make him stronger. This sucks. “I’ll wait for you, then.”

**the best people in the world and beomgyu**

**[TODAY, 8.36 PM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Soobin and him, sitting in the employees lounge, shoulders pressed together, making duck faces at the camera] 2/8

**taehyun**

not sure if this is intentional or not but

will all your pictures be with Binnie hyung?

**choi beomgyu**

He’s the only one who recognized both outfits!!!!!!

**ningning**

hyungie that seems kind of far fetched

maybe you are ~soulmates~

**choi beomgyu**

do not say the S word or else

**taehyun**

stupidly brave of you to threaten one of my beloveds on my watch

**ningning**

im just teasing you hyung!! >3<

**choi beomgyu**

FINE THEN

wait wtf is this gc name???

“Pink?”

Beomgyu nods. “As a peach.”

He’s tired – school is starting to pick up and he’s not dancing to the beat of it just yet. It’s the perfectionism speaking right into his ear along with Taehyun’s entire challenge and he can’t say no to either of those. He’s glad his mood is better today, thought. He doesn’t want to be a mess in front of Soobin again.

Beomgyu’s’s brought him something back for the last time – his favorite drink and some snacks. Being present during that meltdown deserves a reward.

His planned outfit for today wasn’t ready either so he just picked the first thing in his closet and made something out of it. So here he is: pink shirt, pink beanie with sewn pink ears on, pink jeans he dyed himself last year in a moment of true desperation, yellow contacts and bag.

Soobin tilts his head to the side; his glasses making his eyes look a lot brighter. If today’s the day Beomgyu dies, then so be it. “The Pink Panther?”

He nods sagely. “Yes. But someone’s already got it, so the picture’s already taken. Sorry, hyung!”

“Can we still take it though?”

He didn’t expect that – but what can he say to him? No, being in close proximity to you so many times in so little time makes me feel like an idiot. No, but did you know you make my heart race? No, why don’t you ask me to kiss you instead? Not like I’d have the courage to do it, haha, unless…?

“Um, sure,” is what he says in the end. There really should be a book called _how to say no to Choi Soobin 101_ , he would buy every copy.

Soobin looks happy he said yes. It’s a little puzzling to him until he says, “Really, the Pink Panther was super cute. Kind of dumb, but super cute. One of my favorites.”

Be still my beating heart, he thinks miserably.

**carley rae jaepsen & rebecca black ft. beomgyu**

**[TODAY, 3:46 PM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Soobin and Beomgyu blowing a kiss at the camera ] 3/8

I’m not even going to ask abt the gc name anymore

**ningning**

I’m Carly

**taehyun**

I’m Rebecca

**choi beomgyu**

I SAID I WASN’T GONNA ASK DON’T TELL ME

**taehyun**

You’re just collecting Soobin hyung’s pics now

**ningning**

not that you don’t look super cute!!!!!!!

pink suits Beomie hyung as well as purple suits Soobin hyung o3o

**taehyun**

ningning’s right ~ you both look very cute o3o

**choi beomgyu**

where am I and what’s going on

**taehyun**

>3<

**ningning**

>3<

It turns out Earth Kingdom robes are much more noticeable than he thought. He’s been stopped for a selca five or six times, heard more blind jokes than he ever has, discussed the merits of shipping Aang and Toph versus Toph and Suki and was asked for a video pretending to metal bend a spoon. It’s been a fun day so far; academic stress notwithstanding. He’s simply not thinking about it too hard. It will inevitably kick him in the face later but he can deal with anything life throws at him unless its name is Choi Soobin.

When he walks into the library, Soobin isn’t on the counter. Heejin is there instead; humming to herself and piling up Jane Austen novels.

“Noona,” Beomgyu says. She turns to look at him and her eyes sparkle. “Do you know where Soobin hyung is?”

“Gyu-yah, you look adorable,” She coos, pinching one of his cheeks and then blowing him a kiss. “He’s in the break room. He said you’d come right around this time. Come on.”

He’s sleeping on the table; his head resting on his right arm and left curled by his side. It’s not the first time Beomgyu’s seen him sleeping – but it strikes a chord with him every time; the relaxed slope of his mouth along with the occasional little sigh can be too much to bear. He sits by Soobin’s side and starts playing with his hair, drawing hearts with his fingers on one of his arms. If he were a weaker boy he’d be writing _CSB + CBG_ into the hearts but he’s stronger than that. Recently, anyway.

Slowly, he opens his eyes and looks at Beomgyu. Recognition takes a second to set it, and he murmurs, “Toph was one of my favorites.”

“Who was your number one, then?”

“Sokka,” he smiles a tiny smile, his eyes curved. Beomgyu thinks _this’ll be the image on my epigraph and nothing else_. “It was so cool how he was the only one in the team and couldn’t bend but he was still like, their backbone and his swords were so – ”

Beomgyu’s delight skyrockets. “You had a crush on him?”

“No, I didn’t. I just thought he was cool,” His legs start jiggling under the table and his cheek flush. He’s a terrible liar. Beomgyu tries his best to control his laughter but he just looks so, so cute. He has no choice but to keep pushing.

“Yes, you did. Don’t worry hyung. I had a crush on Ty Lee _and_ Jet.” He giggles, covering his mouth with a hand. 

“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” Soobin grumbles and hides his face into his arms. He takes a peek at Beomgyu without lifting his head and adds, “You really look adorable today. Let’s take the picture.”

If anything, that makes his cheeks burn redder. Curious. Maybe he’ll have to watch The Last Airbender again to fall in love with Sokka, too.

**3 cats in a trench coat**

**[TODAY, 6.39 PM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Soobin’s sleepy eyes are half closed and Beomgyu’s smile is blinding, his arm is around Soobin’s neck] 4/8

halfway done and 2 weeks left ez ez ez

also this gc name is something I can Accept

**ningning**

is hyung resting well? he looks tired

**choi beomgyu**

he’s with me rn

[picture attached: soobin’s sleeping with his arms wrapped around beomgyu’s waist]

**taehyun**

how are you not dead

**choi bemgyu**

my soul left my body hours ago Taehyun-ah

I am just a vessel

**taehyun**

I hate gay people

“These are getting increasingly complicated,” Soobin says, eyebrows raised. “Do you need any help, Syaoran Li?”

This one is his favorite so far – not to say the others weren’t great, but something about Card Captor Sakura was always charming to him. And Syaoran’s cute. Some grad students noticed him and waved, made some gestures like they were setting Sakura’s baton on a card like she always does, mouthing _return to the form that you were meant to be in!_ while he mouthed back _clow card!_ and got a fair share of smiles and thumbs up. But no one’s approached him yet.

He also likes how the bells sound every time he moves his arms. It’s really cute.

Beomgyu considers his offer seriously. Soobin’s one to compliment people without truly meaning it, but he’d never offer help if he wasn’t 100% on board.

But he could just be overthinking things. Who knows?

“I could use an extra hand. Do you know how to sew?”

“No. But it’s not too difficult, right? You can teach me. And – sewing machines are a thing. I’m sure I can help you.”

Beomgyu’s melting on the inside like ice cream under the summer sun, worryingly fast. He thinks back to _how to say no to Choi Soobin 101_ and realizes he’s Beomgyu, 19, and never learned how to fucking read. It was useless from the start.

So like an idiot, he says, “next time I start working on something you’ll be the first to know, hyung.”

Soobin beams at him. If this is Death, let it take him. “Perfect! Now, have you taken the picture yet?”

Ah. Yes. He almost forgot. “No, not yet. People have recognized me but no one has approached me yet.”

“Let’s do it then. Just give me a moment.”

Beomgyu helps him order the rest of the books, making quips about the people who don’t put them back together properly and make things harder for the rest of the workers while Soobin chides him to not be so critical but doesn’t manage to hide his smile. He’s won today by simply doing this – helping Soobin, making him smile.

He lifts his phone and Soobin says, “Did the bells just ring? I thought they weren’t real.”

“No, they are real. Why wouldn’t they be?”

“I thought I was hearing something,” he says, smiling. He tilts his head and says, “Then isn’t this just like _kimi no nawa_?”

Oh no. Oh no, he didn’t say that. He did not just say that. His finger still pads over the camera button and he presses it mindlessly. Soobin notices, because of course he does.

“Beomgyu, are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, just – I have to go.”

**powerpuff girls**

**[TODAY, 5.55 PM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Beomgyu’s smile looks more like a grimace than anything else, Soobin’s half-hidden behind a V sign] 5/8

**taehyun**

why on earth do you look like you’re a second from a heart attack

**ningning**

hyung are you okay

**choi beomgyu**

he called us the S word

not even that he just INSINUATED IT…

rip chwe bamgyu pls don’t look for me

“I have to go buy some more fabric,” Beomgyu frowns. “Do you want to come with me?”

His small apartment is a mess of half-finished clothes and yarn, books and patterns. They occupy the entire living room; it looks like the mildly concerning aftermath of an explosion. He hasn’t told Soobin yet what he’s making but he’ll find out soon enough. He always does.

The walk seems to be shorter when he’s not in a hurry and Soobin’s with him, his mere presence something he always finds comfort in. It’s just some detail on the jacket he can’t seem to get right and it’d be good to really get some new things for his other assignments. Two birds, one stone as they say.

“Which one do you think looks better?” he says, holding both pieces of fabric against his skin. Soobin blinks at him.

“You’d look good in anything, really – no, wait, I mean the one on your left. The left one.”

Beomgyu gives him a look and Soobin cracks an awkward smile. He gets it. It’s not the first time he’s done this; once, he told Yeonjun he looked good with a neon green jumper, hot-pink shorts and an orange beanie, a morning after a party they all regretted going to. “Hyung, hey, it’s fine. I know I look like a mess right now, you don’t have to be nice about it.”

“Gyu-yah, what do you mean – ”

“Just tell me,” he shrugs. Soobin insists again on the left fabric and doesn’t say anything else.

The walk back to his apartment is stifling with silence and they go back to sewing as soon as they’ve stepped inside. Too focused on finishing, Beomgyu doesn’t notice how late it’s gotten — the metro stopped running already.

He looks up from his work and clears his throat. Soobin looks up. “It’s already late, you can stay. I know you have an early shift tomorrow, and I’m closer to campus and all that. You can take some of my clothes if you want, too.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s okay.”

Haruhi Fujioka is an easy guess next morning — uniform, no glasses and no wig or color spray for his hair. They take the picture in front of the library, just as he’s preparing to go in. He gives Beomgyu’s arm a squeeze and disappears behind the front door without saying anything else.

**rowdyruff boys**

**[TODAY, 8.52 AM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Soobin’s hand hangs awkwardly around Beomgyu’s shoulder. Beomgyu’s smile is nonexistent] 6/8

**taehyun**

okay

this is unnecessarily sad.

**ningning**

TT TT TT

**choi beomgyu**

I don’t know what to tell you boys

It just be like that sometimes

Now, he didn't make the overalls, it's true. But he did sew the bandana, the gloves and the beanie design he chose to replace the helmet. The glasses are cute, too. It's the best disguise and the cutest one so far, if he says so himself. Everyone knows Pororo, after all. He's still going to the library since it's a part of his routine, after all. It'd be weirder to not go at this point; make things more uncomfortable than they have to be. He's _fine_ , he can deal with this.

Hearing Soobin actually groan at the sight of him still sucks, though. 

“See,” he says just as Beomgyu’s in earshot of him. “I know you’ve taken the picture already but come on, you look _so cute_.”

He makes them take the most boring, quick picture because while he can’t say no, he _can_ minimize his suffering. Soobin plays with the hem of his sweatshirt and looks at Beomgyu directly in his eyes. “You know – I’m honest when I’m complimenting you. You know that, right?”

Beomgyu blinks. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, Beomgyu-yah. I’m very sure about that. I’d lie about liking mint chocolate and about Yeonjun-noona's awful outfits, not about _you_.”

“Okay. That’s super cool,” he says, turning around quickly. “I have to go now. Thanks for the picture, hyung!”

“Beomgyu, wait – ”

**boyz with fun**

**[TODAY, 4.52 PM]**

**choi beomgyu**

[picture attached: Beomgyu pouting and Soobin poking his cheek] 7/8

one more and i win

how are you feeling this morning kang Taehyun ssi

**taehyun**

Happier than you, apparently.

What’s with that face?

**choi beomgyu**

Hello? Ouch?

**ningning**

Don’t hay him any mind hyung!!!

this costume is the cutets so far!

ningning approves!!! >3<

pororo IS the best

**choi beomgyu**

you’re the only one I can trust Kai-yah

if I kill Taehyun can we get married?

**taehyun**

have you considered a career as a comedian hyung?

I think you have a good shot

“I think Soobin hyung is actively trying to kill me,” Beomgyu says from his position on the floor; star-fished and confusedly staring at the ceiling.

Yeonjun’s listening to the track he composed for his and Taehyun’s dance recital and he seems satisfied, legs moving to the beat and head going from side to side. It’s not _My I_ , but it looks like it’ll do. The dance studio is harshly lit and the door’s open, apparently Yeonjun can’t lock himself in a studio when he has one _or_ two visitors because _something_ happened. Beomgyu doesn’t want to know.

“What do you mean?”

“This entire month he’s been…” Blushing a lot more, for starters. He and Beomgyu have always been playful, but lately it feels charged, not in a bad way but more careful, softer, if that even makes sense. He doesn’t even know how to express this to Yeonjun, who’s just looking at him blankly. So he simply says, “blushy-crushy.”

“And why do you think that is.” Yeonjun says, drier than the dried squid he’s eating. Flakes of it are on his fingers and shirt. It looks gross.

He throws his hands up and yells, “I don’t know! How should I know?”

“You should embody the person you’re cosplaying, you know? Poe Dameron wouldn’t be like this. He’d be like, perceptive.”

“I _am_ perceptive. Soobin hyung is just a mystery sometimes, you know? Like – he says things and I don’t _know_.”

“Like when he calls you cute?”

“Yes, exactly! What does he _mean_ ,” he groans, turning around, face mushed against the floor. His nose hurts and he decides to face Yeonjun instead, which turns out to not be a good choice – he looks extremely disappointed or really hungry. It might be both.

“I think… listen. Don’t quote me on this, but he might mean you’re cute.”

“But what does he want from me? My house? My liver? My bank account? What does he _mean_?”

“Why would he want your liver?”

“His family has a history of liver diseases! How do you not know this?”

Yeonjun’s eyes glaze over. Very slowly, he says, “Do you think Kai or Taehyun would do that for me?”

Beomgyu understands completely. He extends his arm as much as he’s able to, barely grazing Yeonjun’s leg in a manner he thinks would be comforting. It’s really a tickle. “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask them?”

Mortification is clear in his voice when he says, “What if they say _no_.”

“That’s just a risk you’ll have to take, noona.”

“What is going on,” Soobin says from the door, holding a brown paper bag. He looks cuter than yesterday. Tomorrow will be worse again. Beomgyu curses under his breath. “Noona, here are the pastries.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

Soobin side-eyes him, walking closer and dropping the bag on Yeonjun’s lap. His eyes are so far away it looks like he’s about to enter a different plane of reality. “Do I want to know why noona looks like that?”

Beomgyu breathes out. “No. You really don’t.”

He pokes Yeonjun on the ribs until he reacts again, thanks Soobin for the pastries and starts tearing through them right then and there. They share a look and decide to let Yeonjun be, walking out of the studio as soon as they’ve said _see you later, noona!_

Just as they’re outside, Soobin looks at him up and down and he feels himself blush. He has no idea where they’re walking to – he’s just following Soobin along and it’s not like he has anywhere to be right now, so he lets himself enjoy the quiet between them. Soobin seems to be thinking about something, his eyebrows furrowed, lips pursued for a while until he nods to himself, seemingly finding some kind of resolution. Beomgyu’s intrigued to say the least.

Soobin opens his mouth and says, “So I kind of heard more than I told you.”

Beomgyu freezes mid step, almost falls. Soobin catches him before he face plants on the sidewalk. “What did you –”

“That’s one of the weirdest confessions I’ve accidentally heard, honestly,” Soobin says with a thoughtful look in his face. Then he smiles and it’s pure, unaltered glee. “You’d give me your _organs_?”

“Listen. I’m just saying that in case of emergency, I would not hesitate.”

Soobin laughs, bright and loud, dolphin-like. Windshield wiper laugh. It sounds so stupid he wishes he wasn’t completely taken by it. He adds, “Just ask me out, dumbass. It’s really that easy.”

Beomgyu can’t help but wonder. “Soobin hyung, do you want to explore the galaxy with me? Or whatever, I guess.”

“Poe Dameron, I’m swayed by your words,” he flutters his eyelashes exaggeratedly and Beomgyu snorts. “ _Or whatever_ sounds exactly like something I’d want. Let’s go.”

“To infinity and beyond,” Beomgyu says in a higher pitch, tangling their fingers together and raising their hands.

“That’s not Star Wars. That’s Toy Story.”

“If you have a problem with it, you can shut me up.”

Soobin shuts him up.

**1 jock 1 emo 1 mystery**

**[TODAY, 8.52 PM]**

**taehyun**

Choi Beomgyu

What kind of brain worms did you feed hyung

**ningning**

we’re just worried!

hyung just came home and asked us if we’d give him our livers???

he said he was worried???

what happened???

**taehyun**

CHOI BEOMGYU ANSWER YOUR PHONE

**Choi Beomgyu**

[picture attached: two hands with their fingers intertwined on a wooden table]

“Soobin hyung and I are no longer friends,” Beomgyu announces, solemn. He’s holding Soobin’s hand under the table, fingers laced together. Today he’s just Beomgyu, no glitter or sparks added.

“Terrible way to announce we’re dating, but I’ll take it,” is all he has to say about it.

Yeonjun almost spits out his drink. Kai hoots. Taehyun simply looks smug. “I told you it’d work, didn’t I?”

“I thought Soobin hyung wouldn’t fall for the cosplay act… he’s weaker than I thought, really.”

“Hold on. Kang Taehyun! You snake – ”

Soobin tugs the sleeve of his sweater, forcing him to back down. “Gyu-yah, come on. It really wasn’t that bad of a month.”

Beomgyu considers this as he sits down again. And he’s right. Despite all the work and frustration he’s gained something much more valuable: Kang Taehyun’s money.

Soobin steps on his foot after he’s expressed himself out loud. He’s awful. “Why are you like this?”

“Hyung, we’ll be spending that money together! Why are _you_ like this?”

“Oh. That’s true.”

“Congratulations Kang Taehyunnie for getting these idiots together,” Yeonjun says with a light bow and shaking Taehyun’s hand a little too firmly. “They couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I think you might be right,” Kai says with a hand on his chin, giving them a once over and shaking his head sadly.

“We were not that hopeless,” Soobin huffs.

“We would’ve gotten together! Eventually!”

Pitiful looks are shared. Beomgyu huffs and says, “I don’t want to hear this from _Taehyun’s babies_. Soobin hyung, we’re leaving.”

Yeonjun blushes. Kai looks seconds away from a nervous laugh-breakdown. Taehyun looks smug.

“Where are we going?”

“Away from these disgusting people. They don’t deserve us. Let’s go.”

Beomgyu tugs his hand, forcefully makes him stand up and makes a run for the door. Soobin looks back at their friend's table, laughs and yells _BYE!_ as the bell jingles signaling their exit.

“Where are we going?” He asks while Beomgyu keeps up the pace still. People around them part to let them pass, as if they were something particularly gross. They must be Allergic to Love or something, Beomgyu thinks to himself.

“We're going find the cutest looking photo booth, take some gross pictures and send them to the group chat to make them feel single when they're literally dating.”

Soobin's eyes sparkle. “Game on.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! & thank you to the mods for organizing the fest & helping me out with cosplay suggestions! T___T happy holidays & until next time! u3u


End file.
